would these folks fit into today's Democratic party?

[the skeptic]

Considering how much the party has moved to the left/right (depending on who you talk to) would these past party bigwigs fit into the Democratic party of 2004?

1)JFK?
2)LBJ?
3)FDR?
4)George Wallace?
5)William Jennings Bryan?
6)Thomas Jefferson?

1) JFK-Without a doubt, he'd be in the mainstream of the party. It can be said that JFK's style (rhetorical liberal, cautious moderate in action) is what the modern party has patterned itself after.

2)LBJ-He was quite literally all things to all people during his long career in politics. Had a mix of conservative(not exactly a friend of unions) and liberal(Great Society programs) positions. Would be a Democrat, but a unique one. On economics and the role of government he'd be considered a wide-eyed radical.

3)FDR-Actually, the main complaint about FDR, especially when he first ran for president in 1932, was that he was too vague in his positions and didn't really stand for anything other than anti-Hoover (hmmm, where have we heard THAT before???). He'd fit into today's party, but would be considered beyond the pale on economic matters (due to his insistence on taxing corporations and the rich, something a significant segment of the party feels uncomfortable about doing).

4)George Wallace-The Pre-1972 version would probably be GOP, despite his relative economic liberalism. Race and other social issues would drive him toward the Republicans.

5)William Jennings Bryan-On economics, well to the left of many modern democrats (Gee, do we see a trend here, folks?). This is a guy who called for the U.S. to switch to the Silver standard and was a bitter foe of Wall Street. On social issues, an evangelical type that would fit in with the GOP. Would probably be an independent because of his apostasy on social issues.

6)Thomas Jefferson-A little tricky, because it can said Jefferson's ideas influence BOTH parties in various degrees. His espousal of religious freedom would endear him to Democrats, but his overall negative view of government would make him a republican.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. Excellent post and I concur

Hell someone just told me Bob Graham's health and age were a reason to not consider him for the presidency...could you see FDR even bothering to try?

[MisterP]

2. DLC procedure is to declaim the past ideals of the party

(or ideals in general, for that matter--note the "victory over virtue" Sieg-Heiling going on on both "sides" of the aisle). Then they demand that the "factions" they denigrate and ignore vote for them and their candidates. They want to be a "little bit" pregnant...

[I thought so.]

6. Huh?

Did you read the post? When was DLC president?

[Reverend_Smitty]

3. What about Lincoln?

He was a republican but I think that if he was around today he would certainly be a liberal on social policies.

[R3dD0g]

4. Mario Cuomo was saying exactly that the other day.

Can't remember the program, but he was being interviewed on a new bood he'd written and that was one of the questions. No doubt he would be a Dem. He was actually quite liberal.

[napi21]

5. It was the Daily Show.

I always liked Cuomo, and still do. He also had a couple of choice back door comments about this admin that night.

[the skeptic]

7. Lincoln would probably have a home in today's Democratic party

Lincoln would probably fit in fine in today's democratic party, even though he may be more of a DLCer than a lot of people would care to admit.

Lincoln was not a liberal in our sense of the word. Lincoln was actually chosen in 1860 because of his moderate views on slavery (as well as his Whiggish economic views). Lincoln was your basic moderate centrist who got pushed into doing bold things by circumstances.

Having mentioned Lincoln brings to mind other GOPers who might be Dems today:

1. Nelson Rockefeller-One of the spiritual fathers of the DLC. Many DLCers have the same exact same positions Rockefeller had. Socially liberal, economic conservative.

2. T. Roosevelt-His socially liberal stances would put him in, his aggressive foriegn policy would appeal to the hawks in the Democratic party.